Friday, March 8, 2013

86. Philippine MANILA CARNIVAL QUEENS

These Carnival Queen postcards reminds me of the elegant pageantry during the American colonial period. The Carnival beauty
contest was a festive event. It was organized by the American government to
celebrate the good US and Philippine relations. The Carnival also
showcased the economic progress of the Philippines to the world.

Below is an article written by Maximilus T. Tuazon
about the Carnival Queens from 1908-1939.

1922 Manila Carnival Queen Virginia II and Her Maids. Taken by Sun Studio

Miss UP crowned as Queen of 1923 Philippine Carnival. Miss Paz de los Reyes Ongsianco. Taken by Sun Studio

“Our passion for beauty pageants owes its beginnings to
the fabled Carnival Queens of pre-war Manila. The carnival coronations evoked
an aura of pomp and pageantry that ultimately gave way decades later to the
sleek, highly commercialized atmosphere of beauty pageants today.

The nostalgia that was Old Manila is simply incomplete
without the mention of its fabled Carnival Queens. From 1908 to 1939, 31 lovely
ladies presided as the fabulous Muses of the annual Carnival, imbuing pre-war Manila
with a festive air as they reigned in spectacular splendor.

The tradition of female monarchs reigning in one of the
city's special events began during the early years of American rule in the
Philippines. Carnivals were then held to showcase to travelers and traders the
various natural and man-made products the islands could offer.

To add both glamor and glitter to these merry trade
fairs, carnival organizers decided to crown a Carnival Queen who would reign
nightly for two weeks. Thus was born the first local beauty pageant, literally
enthroning the Filipina's unique charm.

The first Carnival Queen was Pura Villanueva, who was crowned
in the 1908 Carnival. Significantly, her's was that elusive Filipina quality of
beauty plus brains; she was an intelligent writer whose genius was successfully
wooed by the Batanguenio nationalist Teodoro M. Kalaw.

Each Carnival coronation was marked by a particular motif
In the 1915 crowning of Concepcion Medina, Queen Concepcion was carried on a litter by slaves,
accompanied by a Roman household of priests, praetorians, soldiers and flower
girls. Catalina Apacible or Queen Neny I reigned as a Russian czarina with her Hussar-attired
court, while Queen Emma Zamora's ornate Siamese headdress literally capped off
Her Majesty's Thai coronation. But one of the most captivating was the 1925 enthronement
of Carmen Papa. Her magnificent Egyptian costume failed to outdo her consort
Vicente Mendoza's Rameses I attire, complete with matching Pharaoh head
dress.

Queen NENY I and Court. Philippine Carnival 1923

Earlier carnival officials personally handpicked the
lucky lady but later on shifted to newspaper balloting and sponsorships,
although other methods were also used. Virginia Llamas' successful candidacy
was backed up by the entire studentry of the Philippine Women's College, while
Anita Noble was screened on things such as her table manners.

Not all Carnival Queens were homegrown beauties. In 1917
a petite 16-year old American by the name of Mela Fairchild occupied the
throne. Her father, George, was the publisher of The Manila Times. Other belles
such as Pura Villanueva and Trinidad de Leon jointly reigned with American
beauties Marjorie Colton and Virginia Harrison as Queens of the Orient and
Occident, respectively.

Just like today's beauty tilts, the title-holders soon
found out that their high stations were springboards to success. Trinidad de
Leon's beauty was such that a tantalized Governor Manuel A. Roxas proffered
marriage; she later on became President Roxas' First Lady. Pura Villanueva's
daughter, Maria Kalaw, not only inherited her mother's crown but also her
father T eodoro M. Kalaw's passion for politics, emerging as Senator Maria
Kalaw- Katigbak in 1967.

Queen Trining II and her court. Philippine Carnival 1924. Taken by Sun Studio

Although the majority of these lucky ladies were of the
city's upper crust, a working-class woman could also gain the coveted title.
The 1924 Carnival crowned Trinidad Fernandez, a social worker from Cuyo,
Palawan. Her passion for public service was under-scored when she donated her
jewelled crown to Cuyo's parish church.

But the Carnival sired much more than crowns and
consorts. In 1926, a charming Tagalog lass was selected from representatives
coming from every province of the country. Thus, the institution that is Miss
Philippines began with Miss Batangas, Anita Noble.

Queen Socorro I (Socorro Borcena Henson), 1926 Manila Carnival

The carnival's revelry, however, bordered on excessive
extravagance. In 1926, Socorro Henson, for instance, paraded along with her
Hindu court while seated majestically atop a live elephant. Another empress was
adorned with so much jewelry that she Queen Maria Kalaw, 1931 had to have
guards accompany her during the lavish festivities.

Soon, the carnival queens would sing their swan song; the
1939 carnival rolled out the red carpet for the last time for Queen Iluminada Tuason. A world war was in the offing. When it was over, a new city would rise
out of the ashes; but the genteel world of the carnival queens of old had
passed on into history”. By Maximilus T.
Tuazon